The present invention relates to the attachment of decorative trim members to motor vehicle wheels and more particularly to trim attachment brackets and systems which are adaptable to a variety of wheels used on small, medium and large General Motors trucks, as well as recreational vehicles produced on various size chassis.
It is the desire of many owners of trucks and recreational vehicles to improve the cosmetic appearance of their wheels by adding decorative trim rings and the like, performing a function similar to standard hubcaps available on automobiles. Indeed, the prior art contains many examples of methods and brackets that have been developed to accomplish this. Some employ spring clips or hooks which engage the outer portion of the wheel under tension. Others use brackets which mount directly to the wheel lugs and, in turn, provide a central point for attachment of the wheel trim member.
Unfortunately, the prior art devices suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, attachment brackets which rely on hooks or spring clips are susceptible to loosening under stress and are difficult to install in such a way that the trim member mounting point remains centered on the wheel. Further, most of these prior art attachment systems are undesirably complex, either in the number of components required and/or in the labor needed for installation. For example, installation of many of the prior art attachment systems calls for removal of some of the wheel lug nuts.
Also, the manufacturing cost of the prior art systems can be prohibitive because the attachment brackets and associated components are not universal, as they are designed to work with only one specific make of wheel. For example, although all 16 inch truck and RV wheels have a common bolt circle pattern, the differences between a 16 inch GM front and rear wheels wheel has in the past necessitated special, non-interchangeable mounting systems for each.
What is needed, then, is a system which provides a secure and consistently centered means for attachment of wheel trim members, which is easy to install, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which is readily adaptable to more than one wheel configuration with a minimum of components.